


Nurse Derek

by verucasalt123



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Caretaking, Established Relationship, Fluff, Illnesses, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-26
Updated: 2015-01-26
Packaged: 2018-03-09 03:31:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3234656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/verucasalt123/pseuds/verucasalt123
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles has the flu and Derek takes care of him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nurse Derek

Stiles had managed to avoid it until after he turned eighteen, but it’s here now and apparently making up for lost time judging by the way he felt.

Stiles had the flu. A real live actual case of confirmed and diagnosed by a doctor ( _not_ a veterinarian) influenza. As he laid in his bed contemplating his misery, he wanted to punch everyone he knew who’d gotten a bad cold and said _I think I’ve got the flu_ , because this was not anything like the common cold, even a really bad one. Sure, there was coughing and a runny nose, but his current symptoms were a million times worse. 

(It’s possible he may be over-dramatizing it)

Every time he swallowed, Stiles felt like he was drinking glass. His entire face and head was going to spontaneously combust from the pain and pressure. It was the middle of summer and he was trembling with chills from the fever. Even reaching for the medication that might help alleviate the symptoms a bit sucked because it entailed taking his arm out from under the blanket and because just that small movement amplified the way his body ached all over. Stiles would swear that even his hair hurt.

(It’s more probable than not that he may be over-dramatizing it)

With only a little reluctance, the Sheriff agreed to pass off the task of caring for Stiles to Derek, with advice from Melissa. He knew Derek was willing to do anything to keep Stiles safe and happy. Sure, he would rather Stiles date someone closer to his age, but his son was eighteen now, so it was Stiles’ decision to make. The sheriff wasn’t deluding himself by imagining the two of them weren’t having sex – they were two healthy young men in a months-long relationship, it was pretty much a given. 

So yeah, Stiles’ dad knew they were sleeping together but he still felt a little twinge about Derek spending so much time in Stiles’ bedroom. That was partly due to the instinctive uncomfortable idea of your child and their significant other alone with the bedroom door closed (though logically, Stiles was certainly in no shape for fooling around) and partly because _he_ had always been the one to nurse Stiles through illnesses, ever since Claudia had passed away. He was the parent, so this ought to be his responsibility. 

Derek had brought up a very good point, though. The sheriff was vulnerable to the same virus if he had too much contact with Stiles, and the last thing they needed was for him to get sick too. Derek had natural immunity to most viral illnesses that were common among humans. It was logical for Derek to be the one who stayed by Stiles’ side and make sure he had everything he needed. So he’d agreed, admitting it was the more practical option. That didn’t mean he didn’t poke his head into the door to check on Stiles a couple of times each day.

Meanwhile, Stiles was shivering even under the two extra blankets that Derek had brought him. 

“You want me to make you some tea”, asked Derek, not really sure what else he could do at the moment. When the sheriff was out, he just climbed into bed and shared his body heat with Stiles, which at least helped a little. But he couldn’t bring himself to do that when Stiles’ dad was just downstairs. Knowing was one thing; seeing was something else, and Derek didn’t want to traumatize the man especially when he knew the sheriff had been a little hesitant to leave Stiles in Derek’s care to start with. 

Stiles groaned (again). With a scratchy voice, he said, “Thanks but if I drink too much I’ll have to get up to pee and I don’t wanna get up. Derek, I don’t think this is the flu. It might be some weird disease that my doctor’s never heard of. I’m going to _die_ , I just know it. Nobody can possibly be this sick and not die”, he finished with tears in his eyes. 

(Fine, Stiles was definitely over-dramatizing this)

“You are not going to die”, Derek said, keeping his voice as calm as possible and fighting the urge to roll his eyes. Leaning over to wipe away the couple of stray teardrops that had started to fall, he left a kiss on Stiles’ still burning hot and clammy temple. It made him grateful for his strong lycanthropic immune system. 

Stiles was just whispering now, but he wasn’t finished making his point. “What do you know about this? You can’t get sick. You have no idea what it feels like”, he said, voice cracking a bit at the end. 

“You know damn well that just because I can heal doesn’t mean I don’t feel pain. I know what it feels like for every muscle in your body to hurt, what it feels like not to be able to swallow because your throat is so torn up. The only difference is that with me it’s usually from a fight or an injury instead of from germs. And if you think I don’t get headaches, maybe you should reflect on, oh, say, _the entire time you’ve known me_. Believe me, I’ve had more than my share.”

Turning over and looking up at Derek, Stiles pouted, “I bet I gave you a few. I’m sorry, you’re taking such good care of me and I’m being an ass.”

“You’re an ass even when you’re not sick”, Derek replied, trying to lighten things up a little. 

Stiles had already started getting emotional, though. No stopping that train. “Really though, you’ve been so great and I’m not appreciating you. It’s like I’m giving you another headache.”

“Plenty of time for you to make it up to me when you’re feeling better”, Derek said with a wicked grin. 

That got a smile, at least. “You’re not a headache to me, Stiles. I’ll always take care of you, dumbass.”


End file.
